“We're gonna see who's better” - Tye Ruotolo can’t wait to settle the score with familiar foe Dante Leon

Tye Ruotolo has been undefeated in ONE Championship, but his next title defense comes against someone who has already beaten him once.

On May 2 at ONE Fight Night 31, the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion will take on challenger Dante Leon, a familiar name and fellow elite grappler, who has already shared the mat with Ruotolo twice before. Now, with the score even at 1-1, they're meeting again to settle things once and for all.

Speaking with Combat Sports today, Tye Ruotolo shared his thoughts about meeting his former foe on the biggest martial arts stage in the world:

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I know if there's someone mentally stronger than us, and technically there's someone better than us, then they deserve to beat us. So you know, on May 2, we're gonna see who's better. And I'm confident.

Ruotolo has steamrolled his way through ONE since his debut, picking up wins left and right with either finishes or unanimous decisions. But Leon isn't a fresh face - he knows what the submission grappling champ can do. And, more importantly, he knows what it takes to overthrow him.

Watch the full interview below:

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Tye Ruotolo looks to finish Dante Leon 'as soon as possible' in ONE Fight Night 31 world title defense

Despite shared history, Tye Ruotolo isn't interested in catching up with an old foe on the mats. He plans to get in there and finish things fast. Short, intense, and straight to the point - so that fans won't want to miss a single second of it.

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"Try to make it exciting for you guys, and I try to get my job done as soon as possible, for sure," he said. "So yeah, in and out, and that ways you guys can watch the next one."

ONE Fight Night 31 takes place May 2 in the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. Fans in Canada and North America can catch the action for free live with an active Prime Video subscription.

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